Mayor ‘shocked’ as Midlands city separates from manager, second prominent exit in a month

A tumultuous year for the government of Cayce continues, as the city council voted Wednesday to separate from its city manager.

The departure of Tracy Hegler, who had served as the top administrative official for the city of nearly 14,000 across the Congaree River from downtown Columbia since the fall of 2018, was ratified in a 4-1 vote. Deputy City Manager James Crosland will be elevated in an acting capacity while the city seeks Hegler’s replacement.

The decision was reached after the council met behind closed doors in executive session for nearly four hours to get legal advice related to road and employment issues. Mayor Elise Partin cast the lone vote not to accept what was termed a “mutually agreed voluntary separation.”

The agenda for the Wednesday city council meeting was revised the day before to add the item related to Hegler’s employment.

“I was shocked and surprised by what happened last night,” Partin said.

Partin said she was approached Monday by Mayor Pro Tem Tim James about adding the item to the meeting.

“I asked explicitly were there any specific concerns, and none were shared with me. I asked that of two other council members as well, and none could share any specifics with me,” she said.

James confirmed that he added the item as a “discussion on behalf of council” but declined to comment on whether the push to part ways with Hegler came from council or the outgoing city manager, citing the fact that it was a personnel matter covered in executive session.

“Tracy has done a phenomenal job,” James said. “People have ambitions, and people have direction in life. And there’s other opportunities that come along. There’s cities that do different things at different times. There’s reasons that we move in directions, whether it be individually or cities. And this particular situation, as you can see, I think the word there’s ‘mutual.’”

“One of Tracy’s finest talents is building great teams, which has allowed this transition to be very seamless, as she prepared a great team,” he added.

Last month, Hegler led city staff through a tense process to pass a budget for the current fiscal year , seeming to be at odds with some council members as she relayed advice that the city needed to levy increases to property tax rates, water and sewer rates, and sanitation fees. The budget the council approved nixed the increase in sanitation fees but included increases to property taxes and water rates.

The city manager was candid, both with the council and The State, that the directive staff received on first reading to slash the recommended increase in water rates would leave staff unable to balance the budget while fulfilling its debt obligations.

“I think staff felt disrespected by council through the budget process,” Partin said, noting that the budget, which she voted against, cut cost-of-living raises in favor of a retention bonus that will be dependent on enough money being left over to pay for it. “Council actually cost the employees money by not giving them a cost-of living-adjustment. That disrespect made them unhappy. Somehow, I have to wonder if they think that’s Tracy’s responsibility and not that employees are individuals and capable of thinking on their own and capable of watching our council meetings on their own.”

In voting to separate from Hegler, the council heaped praise on her performance.

“Tracy, while this certainly is a mutual decision, I want to point out that, as I did earlier tonight even actually in the council meeting, that I don’t think there’s many people that can pull a team together better than Tracy Hegler,” James said during the meeting. “And certainly when it comes to ordinances and zoning, she’s probably the best I’ve ever seen.”

“She’s done an amazing job of creating a culture where employees want to come and so we recruit the best and we’ve got a number of those folks in here right now. We retain the best and we recruit the best,” Partin said during the meeting. “She’s helped us do what we do well, which is to keep our taxes and fees low but with a really high quality of life.”

At the meeting, Hegler didn’t speak during or after the decision. She declined a request for comment.

Hegler’s departure comes quickly on the heels of the exit of another prominent official. Chris Cowan, the city’s first police chief since it split up its public safety department in 2022, left last month for another position .

Earlier this year, Partin accused her fellow City Council members of illegally colluding to oust her from a number of local governing boards , continuing a pattern of dramatic relations among the city’s elected officials in recent years .

“I want our employees to hear that I’m thankful for them,” Partin said. “I want them to hear they are respected, that they are cared for. Our city is grateful for what they do, and we will get through this.”

This story will continue to be updated.